Draft-gear.



H. PRIES, DECD.

A. P'RIEs. ExEcuTIIIx.

DRAFT GEAR. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 7, I9I12.

Patented Apr. 11, 1916.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFioE. -f

HERMAN PRIES, 0F

y]ll[ICI-]IIGAN CITY, lNDIANAyAMELA PRIES EXECUTRIX 0F SAID HERMAN PRIES, DECEASED. A v

DRAFT-GEAR. i Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apnii, 1916.

Application med March'v, 1912. serial-N0. 682,328.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known'that I, zen of the United S Michigan City,

HERMAN PRIEs, a cititates, and resident of county ofLaporte,.and State v have invented certain new and useful Improvements Iin Draft-Gear, of

which the followingwhich are illustrated is a specication, and 1n the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof;

The invention relates to draft gear in which provision is In ade for absorbing the shocks in partby means of friction, there being springs one coiled ab used for this purpose a. pair of helical out the other, its sev,

eral turns lying between the turns of the -inner spring, the friction being developed by the engagement of the two are compressed.

The object of the invention is to provide an initial spring resistance for taking care the lighter shocks, and an improved form of housing for gears of the type named.

It springs one or a pair Y sion,

consists in combining with the friction of springs of less tenand a housing which is advanced under the influence of the heavier shocks and is so arranged as tol compress the frictional springs.

In theaccompanying drawingfsFigure 1 a. longitudinal plan section of the draft vmechanism; Fig.` 2 is a detail in perspective of a plunger used in the gear;. and Fig. 3 1s a detail in perspective,

the gear housing. A pair of cheek and 11, each being plates are shown at VA providedwith a forward draft lug 12, 13, `and a rearward draft lug 14, J Ordinaryplate followers 16, 17, cov operate vwith these lugs, and are encircled by the yoke 18 connected with the .coupler bar 19. A cylindrical than the normal dist lowers 16, 17, forms spring and friction mechanism, and is pro-` vided with,I an instanding abutment, prefer. g theform of an annular-'flange 21 ably ta kin shell 20, of less length ancebetween the folthe housing for the intermediate of its ends, strengthenedby radially disposed webs 22 and having at its inneredge an annular shoulder or bearing.

flange23- forming a for ,thev Iplunger 24 against which the springs react.

The plunger 24 is hollow and cylindrical in form, playing through and guided by the instanding flange 21 backwardly and form its stem projecting ing a. guide for the in- Vsprings 25 and 30 springs as .they

friction springs 25 partly in section, ofl

spring '25 reacts between the flange 21 and v the rearward follower l7. An outer friction spring 30 is coiled about the spring 25, fitting into the interstices between its coils, the meeting faces of the several'coils of the being beveled to form Wedging surfaces.

The friction tively, and by reason of Itheir frictional engagement, are stiffer or more powerful than the springs 27, 28. Under the inuence of pulling stresses the rearward follower 17 springs 25 and 30 collec- 'i moves forwardly, the 'friction springs and l shell 20 traveling Iwith it,.co mpressing the springs-27, 28, until the forward end of the shell engages the yforward follower 16. VThe shell being now arrested in` its" movement, the l and '30 are compressed, and should the movement continue until the follower 17 makes contact with the rearward end of the plunger .24,2 the springs 27,28, are further compressed by its advance relatively to the shell. Upon the recoil the parts are returned to their normal position, the

follower 17 moving backwardly to the draft lugs 14, the plunger' being lreturned to its seat upon the flange 23, and further receding under the influence of the springs 27 28,

carries withit the shell.

Under the influencev of bufling stresses position.

While the friction elements are shown at the follower 16 moves backwardly, oomof followers,

gagement by the rear and the cushioning springs at the forward end of the gear, they may be, if desired, reversed in their positions without changing the action ofthe device. The

5 length of the shell is such that it will stop the head of the plunger and the adjacent follower, and

friction elements interposed between the abutment and the other follower.

2. In adraft gear, in combination, apair of followers, a hollow shell having an instanding abutment intermediate of its ends and being of less length than the distance between and being normally out of engagement with the followers adapted for engagement by both, a plunger seated against the abutment and having a stem projecting therebeyond and beyond .the end of the shell, cushioning springs reacting between the head of the plunger and the adjacent follower, and a air of helical springs interposed between the abutment and the other follower, one of such springs being coiled about the other and interfitting and frictionally engaging the several turns thereof. l

3. lny a draft gear, in combination, a pair of followers, a hollow shell having an instanding abutment intermediate'of its ends and being of less lengthithan the distance between and being normally out of engagement with the followers and being adapted for engagement by both, a plunger seated against the abutment and having a stem rojecting therebeyond and beyond the end of the shell, shock absorbing` elements interposed between each follower and the head of the plunger and the abutment, respectively. I

HERMAN PRES.

Witnesses:

W. ROBINsoN,v JNO. W. CARLSON. 

